Soul Seeker
by Athenaktt
Summary: COMPLETED! Seiftis-Quistis has been infected with a deadly poison. With only one year left to live she decides to spend the last days of her life back by the shores of Centra near the orphange, but to her surprise somenoe else is already there.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** FF8 is the property of Squaresoft not mines, so don't sue me. 

**~*~ Chapter 1 ~*~**

Quistis Trepe stood looking at her reflection in the mirror.  Her face was graced with fatigue.  The sleepless nights only added to her distress.  For the past week, she had been distressed over the possible results of her blood tests.  Finally the results where here in her hand her fate was sealed, Quistis had feared the worse, but she kept a tiny bit of hope for herself.  When she finally got the courage to see the results, that tiny sliver of hope disintegrated.  

            Now here she was sitting on her bed, with her test results in her right hand and her resignation letter in her left.  A tear trailed down her cheek as she read her results again.  The painful truth was slowly setting in.  She was dying.

            The tests confirmed that she was infected with a rare plant poison that slowly destroyed every cell in the body.  The knowledge of the plant was little or nearly unknown until recent years of the discovery of the Soul Seeker plant.  The plant received it name from its first recorded victim, a famous scientist.  His research was in botany.  His discovery of this new plant was a blessing and a curse to him.  In finding the plant he was poisoned, and no cure could be found.  Accepting his fate, he realized his passion for researched caused him to neglect his family and himself.  Therefore he decided to retire from research to spend his last months of life mending his relations and searching for himself again.  Thus the plant was giving its name of Soul Seeker.  

            Quistis couldn't remember how or where she may have come in contact with the plant, but it didn't matter now all she wanted was to lie down and hide from the world forever.  But she didn't want to be here; she wanted to leave and be far away.  She decided that she would go through with her previous plan of leaving.  

            She wearily pulled herself up to a standing position, and pulled out all her belongings from her closet haphazardly throwing them onto the bed.  Sweaters, dresses, jeans, scarves, shirts, blouses, shoes, everything, she was going to pack her whole 24 years into a suitcase.  

            A couple of hours passed, Quistis stood by the door of her now empty dorm room.  It looked stark and tidy as it did the first time she moved into it nearly 10 years ago.  She wanted to cry, but she had none left.  She mechanically opened the door, picked up her luggage and headed toward the headmaster's office to leave her resignation letter.         

            She quickly left the letter on the headmasters desks, and decided to walk through the halls of Balamb one last time.  With every step she reflected and remembered every moment of her life in garden.  She remembered all the parties and festivals Selphie whipped up, and somehow she was always dragged into being part of the festivities.  She thought about how she would miss seeing Zell race to the cafeteria only to stuff himself silly with hot dogs.  She remembered Squall and Rinoa, and how seeing them together only broken her heart.  After their marriage a year ago, she realized she had let go of her feelings for Squall a long time ago.  As she turned into the parking lot, she realized that she would miss them all very much.  Again lonesome tears started to stream down her smooth porcelain skin.  

            With a turn of the key in the ignition of the car, she pulled the car out of the parking lot and pulled away from Balamb Garden for the rest of her life.  She would never set foot there again.  

~~~

 For the past month she had gone everywhere.  She wanted to see the world and she did.  She went to Deiling, Timber, Shumi, Trabia, Winhill, Eshter, Fisherman's Horizon, and every other know place in the world.  Now she was here, standing on the sandy shores of Centra.  At her right she saw the lighthouse still towering over the edge of the cliff.

            She spent the better half of the day exploring the ruins of the abandoned orphanage.  She walked around to each dreary abandoned room imagining and remembering the warmth she felt a life time ago.  She remembered the laughter, the anger, the tears, the love, and most of all the companionship.  

            Now she stood on the shore in a light sundress that fluttered with every passing breeze of the wind.  With her sandals in one hand and her luggage seated next to her, she sat down on the soft white sand, and dug her toes into the warm sand, like she use to do when she was a child.  She wrapped her arms around her knees and just sat there listening to the crashing and receding of the waves.  She finally decided this would be where she wanted to spend the last year of her life, by the shore near the orphanage, her first home.

            Suddenly a shadow came over her with a gruff voice, "What are you doing here? How many times do I have to tell you people to stay away from here?" the voice growled.  Quistis turned to look up at the owner of rough and vaguely familiar voice.  The bright sun blinded her causing her only to see the silhouette of the tall man.

            "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that this land belonged to anyone," she said as she shielded her eyes from the sun and stood up to confront the man.  "Since for as long as I can remember this place has been unoccupied and belongs to no one." While waiting for the man's retort she started to brush off the sand that clung to her dress and skin.  After she finished she finally raised her head and looked up straight into two piercing green eyes.  She stared into the green eyes for a moment until she finally uttered one word. 

            "Seifer."         

**A/N**: I know this has taken me like forever to post this new fic up. Sorry this first chapter is so short, but I felt the need to get something up before the next quarter of school started.  I will be attempting to update as much as I can hopefully finish by summer. *knocks on wood* I hope you enjoyed it.         


	2. Chapter 2

**~*~Chapter 2~*~**

"Quistis," the man said with surprise and confusion in this voice. "What are you doing here?"

            "You're alive," Quistis said without thinking.  "We thought you were…"

            "Dead?" he finished for her. "Of course you would have. It's what you guys wanted isn't it?  Seifer Almasy dead.  That would bring a smile onto anyone's face.  Sorry to burst your bubbles. Trepe," he said bitterly.

            "No!" she cried, "that's not true.  You just disappeared, and no one heard from you again, not even Raajin and Fuujin.  For the past six years, there is been no word or news of you."

            "There was no word, because you SeeDs weren't looking hard enough for me, but now that you've found me I'm not going to let you take me in so easily.  You'll have to fight me," he yelled as he stepped back and pulled Hyperion out ready to attack.  

            "Seifer I'm not here to take you back to SeeD," she said desperately trying to calm him down.

            "Oh, so you're just going to kill me and take my corpse back?" he sneered.

            "No! Damn it Seifer!" she said her voice becoming frustrated. "I'm not here to kill you, fight you, or argue with you.  Hell! I didn't even know you were here! As a matter of fact I don't care!"

            "Oh so SeeD finally gave the instructor a vacation?" he said sarcastically.

            With her hands clenched at her sides she coolly said, "I'm not part of SeeD anymore."

            Seifer noticed the struggle in her voice when she spoke her last line, for the first time he noticed the luggage next to her, and noticed the casual attire of the sun-dress she wore.  She was obviously not on a man-hunt.  He relaxed and brought Hyperion down.

"If you want me to leave, I'll go," she stooped down to pick up her sandals and luggage and started to head up towards the ruins of the orphanage.

"Wait Trepe," Seifer said struggling to keep his footing in the sand as he rushed towards her.  

"What? If you're afraid that I'll tell anyone about your hiding place, don't worry I won't be around long enough to let your little secret out," she said irritably.

"No, damn it!  Even after all these years…that's beside the point," he said suppressing his frustration.  "Where are you staying?"

"What?"

"Well, it is getting late and it's quite a walk before you reach the next town.  Why don't you come and stay at my place for the night?" He waited for her respond. "I don't mind," he quickly added.  

            "Why?"

            "Why not?"

            She just stood there in confusion, while he took her luggage from her hand and started towards his home.  Quistis still in confusion could only follow.

            "So why did you leave SeeD, or did they kick you out for having an affair with a student?" he teased.  Sensing his comment was out of line and near rude he apologized.  "Sorry, I know how much SeeD means to you.  It's just odd why you would leave it and end up here."

            "It's a long story," she finally said.

            "I have time."

            "Well I don't."

            They both continued walking in silence, until they came to a small cabin.

            "Here we are this is my home, and I welcome you to my humble abode," he said with a smirk, and opened the door leading her in. 

            The cabin was small; it had a kitchen, living room, and a small dining room next to the kitchen. Also in the back there was a single bedroom and a bathroom.  The cabin was a comfortable size for one or maybe even two occupants.

            "I don't remember a cabin being around here," she said as she observed the living room.

            "It wasn't.  I made it a couple years ago," he said matter-of-factly.

            "How? When? No offense, where did you get the money?"

            "It's called getting a job, my dear," he noted a slight embarrassment cross her face.

            "What kind of job?" She asked as she settled into one of the chairs at the dining table as Seifer headed into the kitchen.

            "Do you want anything to drink?" He called out from the kitchen.

            "No, thank you water is fine."    

            He reemerged from the kitchen with a glass of water, and a can of beer.  He placed the glass in front of Quistis and sat down drinking his beer across from her.  

            "What kind of job?" he repeated her question and gave her a sly smile. "Take a wild guess, what kind of job would I be the best at?"

            Quistis raised her eyebrows in question, "well you're best qualifications are at irritating your instructors, not obeying orders, terrorizing people, but doesn't aren't the conventional qualities useful for normal job.  I would have to say you got a job in fighting or picking fights."

           He grinned, "Even after not seeing you after six years you still know me so well." He took another drink from the can.  

            "Some things never change," she smiled.

            "Some things do," Seifer finished.  "You've changed." Quistis raised and eyebrow at his comment.  "You are so openly melancholic now.  You always use to be good at keeping that icy shield appearance.  Something is wrong, but knowing you, I'm sure you wouldn't want to take about it with anyone especially me.  Besides I like to talk about myself more then listen to other people jabber on," he said with a wink.

            Quistis thanked him with a small smile for not pursing her internal demons.  

            "So how did you use your brash fighting skills to land your irresponsible self a job?" she asked to change the subject again.

            "I became a security guard for some companies by day, and at night I would work at clubs intimidating more people."

            "So you worked both day and night, seven days a week? Don't you sleep?"

            "Well, do you think someone as irresponsible as me would be responsible enough to sleep?" He laughed at his own joke.  Quistis just shook her head.  "After about three or four years later, I saved up enough money to buy this small plot of land near the orphanage, and I decided to build my little home sweet home."

            "It's nice and definitely sweet," she complimented. "You look like you're living a comfortable life. I'm proud of you."

            "Thank you Trepe.  You don't know how long I've waited to hear those exact words coming from your lips."

            She furrowed he eyebrows, "I'm not kidding."

            "Neither am I," he said with all seriousness.

            "Are you still working as a security guard?"

            "No, I train people now."

            "Oh, Instructor Almasy?" she chuckled.  "I like the sound of that."

            "Fortunately, I don't have any students like me."

            "If you did you'd probably bash their heads in," she laughed. 

            "Is that what you wanted to do to me?" he feigned hurt and shock.

            "Who would have thought you would turn out so well, while I've become homeless and end up beach combing," she said through her sad smile. 

            "You know, I think some one up there screwed up and got our fates switched," he said to cheer her up.

            She shook her head.  "Maybe it's about time things started looking up for you." Emotions of sadness started to overcome her entire body, and she could feel tears slowly climbing up through her body forming a lump in her throat and slowly creeping towards her eyes.

            Seifer immediately sense her melancholy, and quickly changed the subject.

            "Since you're here, why don't you stay for a while?" He waited for her to answer and received only silence. "Well if you don't have any plans of going anywhere. I don't mind you staying here.  This place can keep two people comfortably.  Besides I'll have to admit it does get boring living here alone." 

              She squeezed her hands together tightly, and stared into the half filled glass of water before her.  She watched the liquid in the cup move with every slight nudge of the table.

            "I…," she trailed off.

            "You won't be bothering me.  You can stay in my room, and I can sleep on the sofa." Just as she was about to protest, he continued, "Don't worry it's very comfortable.  I usually end up sleeping on it more then in my bed anyway."  He got up and carried her luggage into the single room in the back of the cabin.

            The bed room was very neat and clean.  The sun shined through a crack between the curtains of the single window in the room.  There was a closet, a large bed, and on each side of the bed were two night stands.  One had a lamp and an alarm clock. The other side had a couple of loose change and half a bottle of water.

            Quistis looked about the room it was quite large and comfortable.  This place would be perfect for her to spend the rest of her life.  She walked over to the window and looked out into the blue horizon.  She closed her eyes and started listening to the muffled sounds of the waves crashing along the surf and shore.  She closed her eyes and drifted off into memories from long ago.  

            "I see you like it," Seifer's voice interrupted her as he laid her suitcase on the bed.

            "Yes, I do. It's very beautiful.  You've done a wonderful job, Seifer." Her voice was calm.

            "So you'll stay?"  She nodded.  "Good you can stay as long as you like."

            She blushed at his kindness.  He turned and walked out of the room, and left her alone to be acquainted with her new surroundings.

            After a month of traveling alone, she was ready to find a place just to live out her life.  Now here she was on the shores of Centra staying with Seifer Almasy off all people.  She almost felt at ease with her present situation.  At least she wouldn't have to spend her last days in loneliness. 

            She opened the closet door and found some of Seifer's clothes hung sparsely in the closet.  There were many extra hangers there for her to use.  She smiled to herself.  She never thought Seifer would have been so neat and organized with his things.  She moved her stuff into the corner of the large room, and proceeded to walk out into the living room.  Seifer was apparently not in the cabin.  She decided to take the liberty of giving herself a tour of the place.

            She ventured into the kitchen and found it was relatively clean.  The sink had a couple plates and utensils from a previous meal.  Next to the sink was the refrigerator.  She opened it and found it quite sparse, like a typically single man's fridge.  There were cans of beer, soda, some cold cuts of ham and turkey, juice, milk, and a couple fruits and carrots.

            "Are you hungry?" The sudden male voice startled and instantly caused her to bring her hand over her heart and closed the refrigerator door. 

            "Seifer you scared me, where did you go?"

            "Sorry, I was just outside.  I usually just sit outside and listen to the ocean. It seems to clear the mind.  It seems to almost sweep away your worries with each receding wave." Quistis nodded. "So if you're hunger I guess we can go out to town to eat or something.  Since you saw there isn't much in there." He pointed to the refrigerator.

            For the first time that day, she truly smiled. "Sure where shall we go?"

            "Seifer's eyes lit up, "I know exactly where to go, the food there is great," he said excitedly.  "And it's not to far away.  We can walk there."

            "Walk?" She raised an eyebrow in question.

            "Sure, over the past years the smaller towns have grown and developed. It's less then a mile away."

            "Well isn't it a bit late to go out at night alone?"  She asked still unsure.

            "You're not alone.  You got me.  Besides any monster that crosses us is very unfortunate," he said lifting up his right hand that held Hyperion and made a slash in the empty air.  "Come on it's a nice warm summer evening, and the sun doesn't set till late.  Savor the moment Trepe."

            She nodded in agreement with her whip in hand they headed out.

~~~

            The restaurant they went into was small, but had a very homely and inviting aura surrounding it.  It was a small family owned Indian restaurant, there were tables neatly placed in the room covered with beautiful colored table clothes.  The hostess of the restaurant was a small woman with dark skin, thick long black hair tied back into a thick braid that fell below her waist.  She large brown eyes brightened at the arrival of Seifer. 

            "Hello, long time no see," she greeted him with a wide smile as she led them to a table. "Finally you've brought your girlfriend to our restaurant," she said almost sounding like a question.

            Seifer smiled, "Oh this is Quistis. She is a friend I grew up with.  She is just staying with me for a while."

            The older woman nodded in understanding and handed them the menu.  "Just let me know when you are ready to order."

            After a couple minutes of deciding the woman came back and took their orders.  Dinner came, and they chatted about the past and pleasant and some unpleasant memories from their youth.  Through their catching up their dinners were quickly finished and it was almost time for them to leave.

            By the time they departed from the restaurant, the sun had settled behind the mountains.  The darkness was slowly over taking the reddish dusk.  The full moon was large and round hovering over the mountains slowly climbing up to the pinnacle of the vast darkness.

            They both walked along the shores of the beach heading back towards the orphanage.  Behind them the bustling and lights of the town were becoming smaller.  

            "Sounds like you were happy in Garden, why leave?" Seifer asked has he kicked at the soft white sand.

            Quistis's smile faded. "It's a long story," she said with a pause.  "Maybe I'll tell you one day."

            "Maybe, maybe not.  We all have our secrets.  Secrets keep a shroud of mystery around us.  Makes life interesting cause no one ever knows what you are thinking."

            Quistis nodded as she slipped out of her sandals and stepped onto the wet sand leaving light footprints as she followed the receding tides.  The tides roared at her as if challenging her to not come closer.  It foamed as a small tied crashed around her legs and consumed her legs under the swirling water around her long slender legs.

            The cold salt water caressing her legs soothed her thoughts. She took another step into the now receding tide again making a new set of footprints in the smooth wet sand.  For a moment she wondered what it would be like to be swallowed up and join the depths of the deep black ocean away from the misery to come.  Maybe it was better to die now when she was happy and all seemed well.

            Splashing came up from behind her.  She looked at Seifer's concerned face that quickly changed into a menacing smile.  "Didn't know you were up for a swim," before she could answer. He easily lifted her up and carried her in his arms and started to wade deeper into the flowing tides.  Quistis tried to struggle in his arms, but it was futile. 

            Seconds later cold water engulfed her body.  Salt water filled her mouth and stung her eyes.  She stumbled and finally felt her feet touch the sand.  She stood up coughing and wiped her eyes, as Seifer still held onto her to keep the waves from pushing her over.  Even though she was still coughing up the salty liquid, Seifer laughed.

            "You look like shit," he said through his laughing.

            Quistis glared at him, but started to laugh at the soaking state of them both.  She coughed again ridding her throat the last remnants of the salty sea.

            Their laugher mingled with the tides as they waded back towards the dry shore.  When they reached dry land, Seifer picked up her sandals, and ran towards the cabin leaving a barefoot Quistis to chase after him. 

            He held her sandals high up in the hair as he taunted her, dangling it over her head. "Want your pretty little slippers, Trepe? Come and get it!"  

            The drenched blond woman feigned anger and chased after him laughing. "You are toast, Seifer!"

            "No, I'm soaked," he laughed and continued running.

            "Doesn't matter you're toast any way."

            "That's if you can catch me," he said and stuck his tongue out.

            As she ran the sand clung to her wet legs and her dress stuck to her body as her long blond hair plastered onto her face and neck.

            When they reached the cabin both hunched over panting and trying to catch their breaths.  Seifer straightened himself up and observed the wild appearance of the usually prim and proper Instructor of his past.  He never recalled ever seeing her so wild and free.  Maybe leaving SeeD would do her good.  But he remembered her state earlier.  She seemed lost and lone.  

            Quistis finally stood up straight and raised her eyebrows as she wrapped her arms across her chest to keep the breeze from biting her skin.

            Seifer smirked, "I believe the lady is cold."  
            "And you're not?"

            "Maybe, but I'm a man and I must keep on a strong façade for the weaker sex," he teased as he pushed the door into the warm cozy cabin.

            Quistis made a face and walked into the cabin.

            "You can go and shower first.  Don't want you getting sick now because of me," he said walking into the bathroom to get himself a towel to dry off.

            "Then what about you?"

            "What? You want me to shower with you?" Quistis expression didn't change at his joke. "I can wait.  Besides while you shower I can prepare the sofa as my bed."

            "Sofa?"

            "Yeah, you don't think I'm cold-hearted enough to make my beloved instructor…"

            "Former instructor," she corrected.  
            "Former instructor, to sleep on the sofa when she is a guest in my house?"

            "No, I just don't want to…"

            "Don't worry about it," he interrupted.  "This sofa is pretty damn comfortable.  I told you already.  I usually end up sleeping here anyway.

            Quistis furrowed her eyebrows not believing him.  "Well, I won't be staying long anyway, so I guess you'll have to bed less for a couple days."

            "Damn it Trepe.  I told you don't worry about it already.  We've already had this conversation earlier.  You can stay as long as you want.  Now go and shower or take a bath or what ever you women do." He said with annoyance while grabbing his spare pillows and blankets from his linen closet.

            Quistis gathered her stuff and went into take a warm shower.  The salt water was drying on her skin and leaving an uncomfortable dry sticky feeling all over her body.  A bath sounded very appealing at the moment, but she didn't want to make Seifer wait to long.  She felt bad enough for forcing him to sleep on the sofa when she should be out there.  

            As the needles of warm water landed on her skin and cleaned off the salt, she thought to herself.  Seifer has changed.  He seemed to have control over his life now.  His temper was still there, but more contained.  While her own life was falling apart, her once well hidden emotions were now spilling out from her like an overflowing pot. She brought her face under the rain of water and let the water wash away her thoughts along with the salt.

~~~

            Quistis emerged from the shower with her hair wrapped in her towel like a turban; she called out to Seifer to tell him the bathroom was free now and headed into the bed room.  She pulled the suitcase out and put it onto the bed. 

            She stood looking at the opened suitcase, unable to decide if she wanted to unpack her things or not.  She wanted to stay, but she was afraid of intruding on Seifer's new life.  His life was stable and satisfying, while hers was tumbling down.  She didn't want anyone to suffer her own pains of death.  She never wanted to ask for anyone's help or pity again.  She did that once nearly ten years ago, and the one person she cared for and confided in told her to talk to a wall.  Thinking about that moment still brought a pang of sadness through her whole body.  That memory only reminded her of how alone she had always felt.  

            She let out a deep breath and closed the suitcase again.  She would worry about it later.  Right now she was ready to lie down and lose herself in a couple hours of deep sleep.

~~~

            Seifer came out of the shower, and found Quistis had already fallen asleep, with the lights still on.

            "Good night Trepe," he whispered has he flicked off the lights and closed the door and headed towards his make shift bed.

            He had to admit he was surprised to see Quistis here alone and homeless.  He had never thought of Quistis as the nomadic traveler.  She was always the stable responsible one, and now for the past two months, she had been traveling from place to place with just a suitcase of clothes.  He never thought that after ten years their lifestyles would have been twisted around.  He concluded that there must be something wrong, but he didn't think she would ever confide with him.  What ever the problem was he didn't like seeing what it was doing to her.  It almost reminded him of himself the first couple of years after the Sorceress wars.  When he didn't know where he would go, or what he could do.

            He stretched his blanket over his body and settled into the sofa, and drifted into a dreamless sleep. 

A/N: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.  See ya in the next one!                     


	3. Chapter 3

            **~*~Chapter 3~*~**

Gloomy light drifted through curtains and into the room the next morning.  Quistis woke up to the sound of rain falling outside and someone shuffling in the closet.  She saw Seifer trying to quietly shuffle through his sparse closet for something.  She turned her head to look at the clock beside her.  It read 6:00 AM.  He finally found what he was looking for, a long black trench coat that looked similar to the grey one she remembered him constantly donning in his youth.

           "What happened to your trademark grey coat?" She suddenly asked as she propped herself up into a sitting position. 

            Seifer not expecting her to up was caught off guard.

            "Good morning, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"  He couldn't help but smile as Quistis tried to push her tangled hair from her face. 

            "No, after fifteen years of waking up early I can't sleep past six, besides life is too short to waste away in sleep.  Do you know we spend one third of our lives sleeping?" Seifer nodded in amusement as he wore the long coat over his clothes. 

            "So what happened to the grey one?" She asked again.

            "I still have it," he said while adjusting the lapels of his coat.  "It's right here." He pulled out the well worn coat wrapped in a garment bag. "As you can see, I've decided to let it retire.  It has served me well in the past."

            "And now you've decided on wearing a black one instead," she said as she rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes.  

            "Well, you can't live in the past forever, Trepe."

"You're right you can't," she said weakly.

"Don't worry about it.  We've still got the future ahead of us," he said trying to cheer her up.  Seeing his last attempted was unsuccessful, he decided to try again. "Tonight I'm going to show you how to have some fun.  I bet you've haven't had some fun for a while," he winked and grabbed an umbrella and was ready to leave. 

"Where are you going?"  Quistis asked curiously.

"I'm going to work, you should go back to sleep.  You're gonna need plenty of energy tonight," he winked again.  "Besides it's raining right now, so you can't really do much.  I should be back by noon, and I expect you to still be here," he said with a commanding tone. 

"Where would I go? You said yourself it is raining, and I can't go anywhere," she said innocently.

He laughed, "Nothing could stop you if you really wanted to leave.  Now go back to sleep or something.  I'll see you later."  He waved to her and walked out of the room.  A few moments later she heard the front door close shut and the bolt lock. 

She laid back down listening to the rain falling on the window, and the roof above her.  She was tired and wanted to go to sleep forever.  She was tired of her own thoughts pulling her deeper into depression with every waking moment she had.  She eventually drifted off into sleep again, woke up after a couple of hours.   

She was surprised that she slept in so late.  She couldn't remember the last time she slept in till eleven o'clock. After making the bed and washing up, she observed everything in the cabin, and once again looked into his closet again.  She found what she was looking for, Seifer's trademark grey coat.  She pulled it out and closely observed that the edges and the ends of the coat were well worn, and fringes were found along the bottom and at the sleeves.  The coat was clean despite its worn state.  She put the coat back in the garment bag and returned it to its rightful spot in the closet. 

Buried in the back of the closet was a familiar case with a Hyperion cross on the top of the leather case.  Quistis curious pulled the case out.  She had never seen the case before.  Seifer never seemed to use it since he always carried Hyperion with him.  She opened the case to find it empty.  The inside was lined with a soft blood red velvet material.  Her hand glided over the soft material imagining the gun blade resting in the case.  The case was simple and sleek like Hyperion itself.

Hyperion was as much as part of Seifer, as Save the Queen was to her.  She thought to herself.  

She put the case back to where she found it and pulled out her Save the Queen, and went outside.  She didn't care if it was raining.  For the past couple months, she had neglected her fighting skills.  She released her whip into the wet air with a loud crack, and then swung her whip back to fly around above her head.  Again she snapped the whip back with another crack as she attacked an imaginary enemy.  She expertly swung her whip around herself and quickly moved with grace as if she was dancing and the whip was her deadly ribbon twisting and snapping at the air and rain with authority.

Quistis had forgotten how free she felt practicing with her whip.  She felt stronger and alive again with her weapon in hand.  She was reminded of her more active past.  She closed her eyes and followed the movement of her extension through her senses.  Suddenly she felt her whip wrap around and become stopped by something.  She quickly snapped opened her eyes to see that her whip had wrapped around Hyperion, and Seifer was holding it back.  

Seifer smirked, "You want a fight, Trepe? Spar with me then."

In response with a flick of her wrist she unraveled Save the Queen from Hyperion, and stood ready for their match.  "Ready when you are," she yelled across to him as the rain started to fall louder and harder.

"Ladies first," he said as he gestured with his hand.  

Shortening her whip, she charged at Seifer.  She quickly stooped down and swung her whip at his leg.  Seifer evaded her first attack by leaping over her, and quickly rolling back on to his feet.  Now that he was behind her, Quistis quickly adapted to the situation by testing her flexibility and leaned backwards, and then releasing her whip again this time to its full length as she swung at Seifer again.  The whip only hit air.  Quistis pulled back her whip with a loud crack.  As she stood back up only to find Seifer had already recovered her last attack, and was charging towards her with Hyperion high above his head.  Quistis instantly slid her free onto the loose end of the whip and succeed in using the whip to block Seifer's blow.  On his fourth blow, she managed to wrap her whip around Hyperion's blade capturing it within Save the Queen's grasp locking Seifer's movements of Hyperion.

"Not bad, Trepe, but I'm going to win.  No matter what," he winked.

"We'll see," she said as she glared into his green eyes and tightened her whip around his blade, and prepared to twist it out of his hand.  Instead Seifer grasped the sleek handle of Hyperion with both of his gloved hands and twisted with all his strength.  His strength out matched Quistis and caused her to make a twist in the same manner to keep her grasp on the blade with her whip.  Before he could throw her into another turn with his blade, Quistis loosened her whip from his blade and quickly pulled away.  Just as Seifer was preparing to start attacking again, Quistis cracked her whip once to keep him at a distance then immediately started her attack.  She whorled her whip and attacked Seifer with every wave of her arm.  Seifer easily deflected every swing from the biting end of her whip.

"This isn't fair, you have the advantage of a long range weapon," he managed to yell across in between each crack and deflecting.  

"Well, I thought you said you were going to win this one, no matter what," She yelled back.

 "I am," he said self-assuredly and continued to deflect her attacks.

Quistis was getting tired of Seifer's constant deflecting of her attacks, so she wheeled her whip back and whorled it over her head a couple times and swung it at Seifer again.

"Shit," Seifer cursed under this breath as soon as the end of the whip made contact with his gloved hand causing him to drop Hyperion. 

Quistis immediately pulled back her whip and ran towards him. 

"Are you all right?" she asked. "Take your glove off and let me see."

Suddenly in a split second, Seifer reached out to grab Save the Queen from Quistis's hand.  Surprised Quistis immediately jumped back, but Seifer had the end caught the end of her whip in a tight grasp. 

"You can never be too careful, Trepe," he gave her a wink and smirked as he started tugging at her whip and trying to pull her closer to him. 

"Let go of my whip," she demanded.

"It's only fair Trepe.  See I don't have a weapon now.  You shouldn't have one either," with each word he spoke he wrapped Save the Queen around his arm and shortened the distance between them.

Quistis tried desperately to figure a way out of this situation, and she hoped that she was strong enough to throw Seifer off balance.  She doubted it would work, but decided to give it a try.  She waited for him to get close enough to her, and with a pivot of her foot she spun around and tried to kick Seifer off balance, but he already anticipated her move and was too quick for her.  Instead he used the length of the whip to wrap her arms behind her back, and caused her to lose her balance on the wet ground and fall into his arms with her arms firmly pinned behind her back.

"I told you I'd win," he grinned as the sun finally emerged from behind the clouds.  "See even Hyperion, the sun god, has come out of the clouds to see my victory." 

"Well, I'm proud of you Seifer.  You finally defeated me.  The student has indeed surpassed the instructor." Quistis struggled with her bonds.  "Now can you release me?"

"I kind of like seeing you helpless in my arms like this, Trepe.  Never thought you'd be in my mercy. Did you?"  He said raising an eye brow.

"Seifer," she said sternly.  "Let me go. I don't like being "helpless" or in your "mercy" now please let me go.

"All right," he said and released her and returned her whip to her.  "You know it doesn't hurt for you to be damsel in distress once and a while."

"It wouldn't hurt if I had a knight in shining armor to save me either," she said as she wiped the water from her face.

"Doesn't my shiny wet black trench coat count as armor?"

"No," she said flatly and headed towards the cabin. 

"Ouch," Seifer muttered to himself as he rubbed the hand that the whip struck.   

~~~

            When Seifer finished changing out of his wet clothes, Quistis came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head after changing out of her wet clothes.  After spying Seifer's gloves on the table, she asked "How's your hand?" She reached for the hand her whip struck earlier.  She took his right hand into hers.  His skin was surprisingly smooth with few calluses.  She noticed a slight purple starting to rise on the back of his hand.  She lightly ran her finger over it giving Seifer a slight tingling sensation on the sensitive skin. 

            "Maybe you should put some ice on it?" she suggested.

            "Maybe, but it's nothing really, I can still handle Hyperion with no problem," he held Hyperion out stretched in his hand as proof.

            "If you say so," she walking into the kitchen anyway and took out an ice pack.

            "Here you go," she tossed him the ice pack.  "Now what shall we eat for lunch?" She thought out loud as she observed the sparse refrigerator.

            "You're not going to find anything in there."

            "Of course I won't find anything there's only…nothing."

            "Well excuse me Instructor, but I being the genius that I am have saved us both from starvation.  Cause I bought food on the way back from work." He said lifting up a bag.

            "You only have to work half day?" she asked eyeing the bag.  "What did you buy?"

            "I just got us some chicken sandwiches.  Is that all right?" Quistis nodded as she prepared to sit down and eat.  "Yeah, I only teach the one class in the morning, for now at least."

            "So what do you do exactly?" She asked curiously.

            "I teach my student basic fighting skills."

            "With a gunblade?" She interrupted. "What kind of school needs to educate children in violence?"

            "I'm not teaching violence. It's more like a self-defense class.  It's not like we are training these kids to be mercenaries like us.  I'm just teaching them to protect themselves against some of the dangers they can encounter in the wild if they wander out to far." He explained.

            "Well, if you put it that way. Do you teach magic and spells and guardian forces, and all that other stuff we had to learn?"  She asked as she took another bit into her sandwich. 

            "I only teach a few.  Like the vitals of Cure and Healing and stuff like that.  I do talk about some of the other powerful spells and attacks, but that's about it." 

            "Oh okay," she nodded then a smile crossed her lips.  "And I thought all that time you were too busy throwing wads of paper and sneering at everyone to listen to a word I said in class."

            "Nothing slips pass you.  You have to admit I had pretty damn good aim.  I always hit Squall square on the face." Seifer chuckled at the memory as he pointed to his right cheek.  Quistis couldn't help but laugh.

            "So are you ready for tonight?"

            "Tonight?  What's happening tonight?"

            "I'm going to take you to this club in town."

            "Why?"

            "So you can let yourself lose and have fun."

            "I don't know loud music and big crowds?" she shook her head.  "I don't think so."

            "I guarantee you won't mind the music or the crowds after a few drinks," he winked. 

            She furrowed her eyebrows, "are you planning on getting me drunk?" 

            "Why not?  I'll take care of you, besides never seen you drunk before."

            She scowled, "and you never will."  

            "Don't be so sure about yourself, Trepe."

            "Of course I'm sure about myself.  I know how to pace myself."

            "We'll see," he winked.  "Now I'm going to take a nap."  He gathered up the sandwich boxes and threw them into the trash with a thunk.  "That fight we had was pretty tiring," he said as he flopped down on the sofa and stretched himself into a comfortable position and fell asleep.  

            Quistis just picked up one of the books off his bookshelf and sat down in one of the more comfortable chairs and started reading.  That last think she remembered reading before dozing off was how to cast a fishing pole when fishing.

~~~

            When they got into the club, music was blaring and drumming into Quistis's ear.  The club was crowed.  It was like the whole town had decided to come to the club tonight.  The flashing colored lights shined over the tops of writing bodies dancing to the quick beat of the music.

            Seifer held tightly onto Quistis's hand as he led her through the crowd of people towards the bar.

            "What do you want to drink?" he yelled over the music.

            "Anything," Quistis yelled back.

            Seifer yelled for the bartender for drinks, and came back minutes later with 2 glasses in hand and handed one to Quistis.  He stood looking at her tapping her feet to the music.  She was wearing black hip huggers and a single strap black blouse and around her waist was a silver chain belt that dangled down her side.  

Seifer held the dangled end of the belt in his hand.  "Nice touch," he commented.

"Thanks."

"Let's dance."

"What?"

He leaned his head in closer to her ear and repeated, "Let's dance." 

"Dance?" She immediately shook her head. "I can't dance."

"Come on," he nudged her forward.  

"No," she firmly refused.

"I'll dance with you if she doesn't," a reply came from behind Seifer.  Her smooth sexy voice matched her physique.  She was a beautiful and alluring blond woman.  Her dark green dress was snug and accentuated all her curves.  She came around to face Seifer, and nonchalantly placed her arms over his shoulders.  Her hands then made their way over his chest. "So want to dance, handsome?" She asked as she licked her glossy red lips.

Quistis gave an annoyed look at the woman flirting with Seifer and finished her drink.  She rolled her eyes and turned away and came face to face with a rugged looking man whose breath smelled of alcohol.  

"Hey blondie lets dance," he placed his hand on Quistis's arm and forcefully pulling her into the writhing crowd.  Quistis struggled, but his grip on her arm was firm almost tight.  

"Let me go," she continued struggling.

"Come on I'm not gonna hurt you," he said leaning close to her ear.  His face lingered by her neck and took a deep breath.  "You smell nice."

With disgust Quistis used her free hand to shove him away.  "I said 'no' creep!" she exclaimed.  The man suddenly grabbed both of her arms tightly and looked into her eyes with anger.  

"No one says 'no' to me,' he growled.

"Let her go," a firm voice came from behind Quistis.

"Who the fuck are you?" he barked.  

"I'll be the fucker who smashes your face into the wall if you don't let my girl go right now!" Seifer demanded.  

The man angrily let her arm go leaving a red mark of his hand around Quistis's white skin.

"You all right?" Quistis nodded.

"I'm fine.  Just a little grossed out by that snake."  She shrugged as still felt the man's breath on her neck and shuddered.

"I'm sorry I got distracted."

"How could you not. Look at her!" She glanced back at the bar where the blond bombshell was still standing and working on her next prey.

"Forget about her. Let's dance." He didn't wait for her to protest and dragged her deeper into the crowded dance floor.

When they got deep enough into he crowed, Seifer stopped and started dancing and moving to the pulsating music.   

            "Come on Trepe. Don't just stand there! Move! Feel the rhythm," he yelled to her over the music. He leaned his body closers to hers.

            "Seifer I--"

            "Don't give me that bull shit of not knowing how to dance.  I know you can dance.  I've seen you dance before."  She gave him a look of surprise at his declaration. 

            "Well I guess I don't have to hide it from you anymore," she said sarcastically.  By now the music and the drink she had earlier was seeping into her body and her body was starting to sway to the beat.  She took a step and raised her arms above her head and started to sway her hips and body to the music.

            Seifer stepped closer to her and placed his arms around her waist to keep the surrounding men away from her.  She automatically put her arms around his neck. "I didn't know you could dance either."

            "Well you learn something new everyday," he winked. "So are we having fun?"

            She smiled and raised her eyebrows, "What do you think?"

            "Well of course you are having fun.  You've got me for company." 

            She nodded, "Thanks."

            "I thought you needed some letting loose," he continued.

            "Shhh…," she place her fingers over his lips to quiet him.  "Let's not think about anything right now. Let just dance."

            Quistis let the beat of the music and lights fill her mind.  Her body moved with the dancing wave of the crowed.  With Seifer next to her they swayed and danced in the midst of writhing bodies.  They moved and danced together as one.

            They danced until they were thirsty and longed to gather some fresh air, and get away from the heat generated by their dancing.

            "It's so much better out here," was the first thing Quistis said as they came out of the club.  She stretched her arms out and took a deep breath of the cool night air.

            "And much quieter too," Seifer added tugging at his ears. "Damn every time I leave the club I can't hear a damn thing."

            "Huh?" Quistis pretended to not hear him. "I'm sorry my hearing is impaired at the moment," she laughed as she led a small chase towards the direction of the car.

            As Quistis ran through the small ally way, she ran into something.  Suddenly felt something smooth, metallic and cool held beneath her throat, and her hands were held firmly behind her back behind her.  She could feel the heavy breath of the man who captured her graze her neck.  

            "Did I tell you 'you smell good'?" the familiar voice whispered into her ear.  His breath and rough unshaven chin rubbed against her soft neck sending chills through her body.

            "Quistis!" Seifer yelled as he saw the captured woman.

            "Oh look blondie here comes your boyfriend."  
            "Let her go now, or I'll decorate these walls with your brains," Seifer growled with controlled anger.

            "Still acting like the tough guy?" With a jerk of his head a group of five men came out of the shadows ready to charge at Seifer. "This dance is mine, and you won't interfere this time. Get him boys!"

            "Shit!"  Seifer cursed under his breath.  He wished he had Hyperion with him.  He looked back at the men surrounding him.  At least these guys looked unarmed.  At least he _hoped they were unarmed. _

            "Let me go!" Quistis screeched and she struggled under the rugged man's grip.   She felt the dagger drawn closer to her throat, and she felt a sting where the dander had cut her.  She winced at the dagger cutting into her skin with every move she made. She was helpless, and Seifer needed her help. What could she do?  

            Just as if Seifer read her mind, he turned towards them and charged at the man and Quistis.  The man was surprised by the sudden attack and loosened his grip on Quistis of a split second giving her enough time to escape from him.  Just as Quistis got away from the man, Seifer pounced on the man and was wrestling on the floor with him.  The remaining three henchmen were about to attack Seifer just as Quistis swung a chain across one of the men's face.

            "I'm your opponent now," she said and dashed at the men with light speed knocking one by one down off their feet with her chain leaving them all groaning in pain on the floor.  She put her chain belt back around her waist and turned her attention back to see Seifer now on top of the man holding the dagger across the man's throat.

            "I still get the last dance," Seifer growled at the man.

            "Seifer, lets go," she said pulling Seifer off the man and they headed toward the car.

           "Question. How did you manage to kick those guys' asses? With your bare hands?"  He asked as they got in the car.

            Quistis smiled proudly. "With my belt."

            "You're belt? That little chain?" Quistis nodded.

            "Yup, apparently small chains leave a nasty little mark across the skin.  I'm surprised how strong this belt is.  I think found my new favorite accessory."

            After a couple minutes Seifer pulled the car in the drive way.  Quistis stood by the cabin door waiting and noticed Seifer stumbling out of the car.

            "Seifer, are you all right?" she asked with concern as she ran up to him, and found him hunched over and his hand covering his right side. "What's wrong?"

            "I'm all right," he said as he tried to straighten himself up, but only succeeded in groaning in pain.  Quistis reached out to give him support and felt something wet and warm on her hands.

            "You're bleeding!" She exclaimed finally noticing the smell of blood on Seifer.  "Why didn't you tell me? We should get you to a hospital."

            Seifer shook his head and headed towards the cabin. "I'm fine. It's nothing just a flesh wound." He reassured her. 

            "I doubt it.  It could get infected."  She wrapped her arms around him, and led him into his bedroom. "Lie down, and let me see how bad it is," she commanded after helping him remove his coat. Quistis carefully rolled up his black shirt revealing the stab wound. She furrowed her eye brows. "It doesn't look too bad," she finally said observing the wound closer. "When did this happen?"

            "I don't know. It happened so fast. Probably when I fell on that guy that had you," he said trying to recall the fight.

            "Well can you manage to take off that shirt while I go and get some alcohol and towels to clean your wound?" 

            "I'd never thought I'd hear you asking me to take of my shirt."

            She glared at him, "I'll let that 'flesh' wound of yours to get infected if you don't watch your mouth."

            "Now you wouldn't do that to your savior." 

            "Savior?" She scoffed.  "More like klutz. What kind of hero gets injured from falling on a knife," she muttered as she went out of the room, and returned moments later with a small basin of water, towel and other medication.  She placed the basin on the night stand and wet the towel. 

            "This might sting a bit," she dabbed the towel around his wound.  

            "_Might_** sting my ass! It fucking hurts," he winced.  "Ow, easy on the dabbing there nurse, are you trying to kill me with pain?"**

            "Stop whining," she wrung the towel in the basin and resumed cleaning his wound.  The cut on Quistis's neck caught Seifer's eye. He reached his hand out and lightly trailed his finger over the dried blood on her neck.

            Seifer's touch caused Quistis to freeze and her cut tingling under his feathered touch.  

            "He hurt you," he said his hand still touching her.

            "Oh it's nothing," she reached her hand over her neck and moved away his hand. "It will heal in a couple days."

            "I'm sorry you got hurt," he turned his head away from her.

            "I'm sorry _you got hurt," she replied continuing to dress his wound.  "Even though it's not as bad as I thought, still it's going to take more then a couple of days for you to be completely healed.  I wish I had some cure spells to heal you with," she sighed._

            "Don't worry Trepe. I'll be fine.  You'll see tomorrow I'll be up and ready tomorrow."

            "I doubt it.  Besides you shouldn't be doing anything strenuous either. Now get some rest." She finished dressing his wounds, and walked out of the room.  

~~~

            She leaned closer to the mirror inspecting the cut on her neck.  She ran her fingers along it and sighed.  It was just a minor cut, but when the man had her in his grasp she was helpless, and she hated feeling helpless.  Fortunately for her Seifer was there to help her out.  If only someone could help her out of her inevitable deadly fate.  She desperately wanted to forget this lurking phantom of hers, and Seifer succeeded in doing just that even if it was just a couple of hours.  He helped her feel alive again.  He taught her how to smile again, but that one fact was never far from her mind.

            She walked out of the bathroom.  She had changed into her sleepwear and headed toward the couch to sleep.  Just as she pulled the blanket over her body, Seifer yelled from the bedroom.

            "Are you sure you don't want the bed?"

            "Of course, what kind of question is that? You're injured and deserve to be a bit more comfortable. Now go to sleep I'm tired," she yawned as she lay down.

            "Quistis?" 

            "Hm?" she responded as she started to doze.

            "Nothing never mind." He said after thinking for a bit.

            "Okay," she yawned again, "Good night Seifer," She stretched her body to full length to be more comfortable and fell asleep.    

**A/N: ** I finally got around updating this.  I hope the fight scenes made sense. I've been trying to work action descriptions; hopefully they come across clearly to you guys.  Hope you guys enjoy it!   


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Seifer woke up early the next morning. He slowly but painfully managed to get out of bed. Upon entering the bathroom, he found his blood-stained clothes soaking in the bathtub. He tried to quietly get dress and prepared to go to work, but instead his foot connected with the door causing him to yelp in pain and waking the sleeping woman in the living room.

"Seifer!" She cried when she realized he was up and about. "You should be in bed!" Seifer winced as she grabbed on to him and led him back to the bed. "What do you need? Let me get it for you," she offered.

"I need to go to work," he said promptly.

"You can't go to work. You're hurt, and you need rest," she replied matter-of-factly.

"I feel fine, and it doesn't hurt when I move."

"Then why did you wince just now when I helped you on to the bed?" She interrogated him.

"Wait you didn't let me finish. I meant to say it doesn't hurt when I don't move _much_."

"Sure," her tone was skeptical. "You're still not going anywhere. Now lie down," she commanded.

"But…"

"But what? I'm sure the school can find someone to substitute for you. Here," she handed him the cordless phone. "Call the school and tell them you are calling in sick and they need a substitute for you. I'm sure someone like _you_ wouldn't mind missing a couple days of class," she teased.

"No, you don't understand. I'm the _only_ gunblade instructor in the area," his tone was mixed with desperation and irritation.

"I don't doubt it, but I guess there won't be gunblade training for a while."

"What?! Okay screw the teaching. I need to make a living!"

"If you would just rest, you can get better, and then you can go to work. Besides," she continued, "anyone can teach basic stuff like the types of spells, guardian forces, and other things. All they need to do is lecture from the book, it's not like they're being trained to become SeeDs. Even your gunblade training is the very basics."

"I guess," he conceded. "When the hell did I start listening to you?" he said with a smirk.

"Who said you were listening?" Quistis got up and was about to walk out the room when Seifer replied to her rhetorical question.

"Well, that is why I have decided that you can be my substitute," he said with a smugged grin.

"What?!" It was Quistis turn now. "What, the hell are you talking about?"

"What? You are more then qualified, you've taught me everything thing I know."

"No," she said firmly. "You are insane."

"Well, it's not an unreasonable suggestion. You've been an instructor at SeeD for the past how many years?"

"Yeah and I got fired," she interrupted.

"Once, but you got rehired," he continued, "So you still would be qualified to be my substitute"

"Well…" she sighed.

Seeing her faltering expression as his suggestion he continued nonchalantly, "you don't have to do it if you don't want to. I'm sure like you said they could find someone else to teach my class."

"I didn't say I wouldn't do it. I just said you are insane."

"So you agree," Seifer proudly said at his success in convincing her. "All right, I'll call the school to tell them you're my substitute." Before she could even answer or protest he was already on the phone speaking to his supervisor.

Quistis grumbled to herself while getting dressed. She pulled on a black skirt and found a light blue blouse. She looked out the window and saw it was still cloudly. This was one gloomy summer she thought to herself. She found her knee-length coat, and threw a thin black chiffon scarf around her neck to cover the cut on her neck, and went to speak to Seifer for some final details.

"Okay…so what do I need to know before I walk in to the lion's den?"

"All you need is a long stool and a whip," he teased. "Well, I've called the school and they say it's fine. All you need to do is go to the office and do some formal crap and then you can sub for me." Quistis nodded as she listened to him.

"So what _are_ you teaching your students? What is the agenda?"

"Well since this is a short summer training, and it just started I haven't gone over much. I've only gone over the basic of how to handle the gunblade and stuff. So you can go over that stuff and whatever you want. I trust you."

"Why thank you," she said sarcastically.

"Oh, and you can take Hyperion with you if my students decide to challenge you or something."

"I thought you said they were beginners."

"They are…but they are a tough crowd, and you know seeing you're a woman and all."

"Excuse me? Is this what went through your mind when I was your instructor?" Quistis looked at him inquisitively.

"Yeah and something else more pleasing," he said with a wink. "Besides being a pain in the ass to you was fun, you never had to nerve to really do anything to me."

"Oh now the truth comes out," she picked up the Hyperion case and her Save the Queen. "Don't worry Instructor Almasy. I'll take care of your kids. If they piss me off I'll whip them into shape, just like I did to you," she winked back and left.

****

* * *

Quistis walked into the classroom and found the group of students talking to each other loudly. She sat down placed Hyperion on the side of desk and sat down. She put on her glasses and started looking over Seifer's things. His desk was clean and organized. His books were stacked neatly on one corner and his stacks of paper in another. She easily found his grade book and found each name written neatly on the grid lines and she found notes posted for each day's agenda.

Quistis was impressed at Seifer's organization and a proud smile crossed her lips. She finally looked up and saw that the class had settled down into their seats as they watched her curiously.

"Good morning class. My name is Quistis Trepe, you can address me as Instructor Trepe or Miss Trepe. I will be your substitute for Instructor Almasy, while he is out sick. Do any of you have questions before I begin anything?" She looked around a room and saw a blond hair girl with pigtails raise her hand.

"Instructor Almasy is sick? He's never sick is he all right?" The girl asked.

"Instructor Almasy is fine and should be back in a week or so. Any other questions?"

"Do you also use a gunblade?" a tall boy in the back of the room sitting his arms crossed and his long legs stretched out to the side of his desk.

"No, my specialty is in the whip."

"A whip?" He scoffed. "Figures."

"Is there a problem, young man?"

"Yeah, how can a whip compare to a gunblade?"

"You shouldn't underestimate the power of the whip. The whip if welded in the right hands can be deadly," Quistis replied coolly.

"So if you're a whip expert why are you teaching a gunblade class?" The boy continued to challenge her.

Still maintaining her cool exterior she replied, "I said my specialty is the whip, but never said I didn't know how to use a gunblade."

"So what's the point of a whip expert teaching us gunblade techniques? When it is obviously Instructor Almasy is the only person qualified to teach us," he persisted.

Quistis was growing impatient with the boy's impertinence, but remained cool. "Yes, Instructor Almasy is the obvious person to teach gunblade techniques." The boy smiled with victory. "But I can't blame you for not knowing this, but yours truly taught your dear Instructor everything he knows about combat, including gunblade techniques." Quistis leaned back into her chair and waited.

"You're saying you were Instructor Almay's teacher."

"Yes, Now that we've cleared up my qualifications shall we begin?" She smiled to herself at her small victory of having the class under her control, and opened the text book to begin the day's lesson that had been planned in Seifer's agenda.

The rest of the class went by smoothly without conflict or challenges from the students. The bell signaled the end of class, and the students gathered up their books and filed quickly out of the room turning in their assignment from the previously day as they left.

"Excuse me, Instructor Trepe," the tall boy from earlier in the day stopped in front of her to turn in his assignment.

"Yes, Jake?" the boy nodded to affirm that she remembered his named correctly and continued, "Can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you or Instructor Almasy will be grading this assignment."

Quistis thought for a bit, "That's a good question. I would have to discuss it with Instructor Almasy later today."

"Oh and Instructor Almasy said that we were suppose to start combat training next week. Will he be back for it? Or will you be training us?"

"Well, right now that is hard to tell at the moment. We'll just have to see when next week comes." The boy nodded and left the room. Quistis gather all the papers and things that she needed to prepare for tomorrow's class agenda.

"Seifer!" a voice came from outside. A young woman with light brown shoulder length hair appeared at the door. "Who are you? Where is Seifer?"

Her question came out almost rude to Quistis, but Quistis didn't care stir up some conflict and promptly replied. "I'm Instructor Almay's substitute. He is going to be out sick for the rest of the week."

"What? Seifer is never sick," the woman replied surprised.

"So I've been told."

"What happened?"

"He got into a little accident, but he's fine," Quistis answered her and was about to leave to room.

"How do _you_ know?" The woman stopped Quistis from leaving and gave her an unfriendly glare.

Quistis raised an eyebrow at the woman's rude behavior, "Well if—," before she could respond the woman interrupted her.

"Never mind, you're just a Sub I'll go to the office they would probably know better then you," she said and abruptly walked away.

Quistis furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and shrugged the incident aside and head out back to check on Seifer.

* * *

Quistis was greeted with an unhappy Seifer standing in front of the door when she reached the cabin.

"What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting."

He crossed his arms across his chest and replied, "I've have rested to the point where I can't feel my ass any more. I had to stand up to make sure I still had one, and since I was up I decided to stay up."

"Fair enough," Quistis conceded.

"And you're late."

"Late? For what?"

"You should have been back an hour ago," he said placing his hands on his hips.

"I'm sorry mother. When I went to the market to buy some food for your empty fridge, I just simply lost track of the time. Dear me. Could you ever forgive me?" she said in a southern girlish accent.

Finally noticing the bags Quistis was carrying, he offered to help, but Quistis pulled them away from his grasp and walked into the kitchen. "You should go and sit or something wile I go and make some lunch." Seifer reluctantly agreed and sat at the dining room table and watched Quistis put the groceries into the fridge and start preparing lunch.

"Are you sure you don't need help?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Lunch will be ready in a couple minutes."

He started to shift uncomfortably in his seat. "I don't like sitting here helpless," he sulked.

"Well too bad, it's your own fault for being careless and getting hurt," Quistis teased.

"My fault?" He was offended.

"Yes."

"That is such Bull shi—, "their argument was interrupted with a knock on the door. "I'll get it." Seifer said while slowly getting up, wincing a bit and opened the door to find the brown hair girl Quistis encountered earlier in the school. "Joyce, what are you doing her?"

"Hello," she smiled sweetly. "I heard you were out sick, so I thought I'd bring you some lunch since you live alone and all." Quistis noted that her voice was distinctly very different and almost charming compared to earlier today.

"Uh…thanks," He took the bag and was about to close the door when Joyce held the door open with her hand.

"Can I come in," she asked trying to peer in behind Seifer.

"No," he said flatly.

"Why not?" Now he voice was becoming whinny.

He quickly thought of an excuse. "Well it's a mess, you shouldn't come in…you can die of toxic fumes in here." Ignoring him she pushed her way through the door and observed the neat well kept room.

"This is definitely not messy. It's actually quite clean." She started to walk around the living room and observe every nook and cranny. "This is a really nice place you have here Seifer. How come you never invite me over?"

"Well…I'm the kind of person who likes to keep my working and personal relationships separate," he said with an expressionless tone.

"Oh, I see," Joyce responded seemingly disappointed.

"Seifer, where are you? Lunch is ready?" Quistis' voice came from the kitchen.

"Who's that," Joyce asked forgetting her disappointment and walked toward the kitchen.

"That's an old friend of mine."

Joyce's smile immediately vanished when she saw Quistis. "What are you doing here?" She said curtly.

"And it's nice seeing you again too." Quistis said with mild annoyance.

Joyce looked at Seifer and back at Quistis. "I thought you said you liked to keep you're working and personal relationships separate," she accused.

"I do. Quistis, here, is just helping me out for the next couple of weeks, and she is a very old friend of mine. In fact we grew up together." Quistis nodded in agreement and gave Joyce a smug smile.

"Well lunch is ready and I'm starved," Quistis interrupted. "So are you going to be staying for lunch with us?" Quistis asked with an overly sweet tone.

"No, thank you. I just came to see if Seifer was feeling better and decided to bring him lunch. I have another engagement to keep. Good bye."

"Well that's very kind of you Miss Blanche."

"Of course I'm nice. Oh and the lunch I brought is only enough for Seifer. Sorry, didn't expect him to have company with him."

"Oh no worries either, I only made enough lunch for me and Seifer only. We weren't expecting any unannounced visitors too show up." Quistis executed her last words with a smile.

Seifer sensed the growing tension between the two women, and decided to interfere. "Well Joyce, Ill walk you out," he gestured for her to go before him and led her through the door. He returned to find Quistis continuing to set the table as he slowly sat himself down again with a grin on his lips.

"What's with the Cheshire Cat impression," she asked.

"You're jealous," he continued grinning.

"What? I am not jealous. I was annoyed at how rude she was to me earlier today, and I guess I'm still annoyed at her." She finished setting the table and sat down.

"Did she come to class looking for me after class again?"

"Yeah, she did. She's a persistent little one isn't she?"

"Fuck yeah. She never leaves me alone. I always try to leave before she finds me."

Quistis stopped eating and looked straight at Seifer, "am I really hearing this? Seifer Almasy, the fearless, is running from a psychotic female stalker?" Quistis stifled a laugh.

"Shut up," he lightly kicked her leg under the table. "Shut up and eat your lunch."

"I'm sorry. I better be quiet so you can savor the delicious meal the love of your life made for you." Quistis laughed.

"Screw you. I'm not gonna eat that." He pushed the bag aside.

"Why? Afraid she might have some sort of love potion as the additional ingredient?"

Seifer scoffed, "with that chick anything goes. Besides I trust your cooking more."

Quistis just rolled her eyes and continued eating.

**A/N:** I'm ashamed to see the last time I updated this was in January and now it's July. Eek…I will again apologize profusely for the long delay. Now that I'm jobless and school less I definitely have more time for writing. =). Thanks for the reviews everyone. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!.

And sorry about the change in format. It's been so long since I've been on the formattin has changed on me and I'm confused how it goes again. ugh.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Woman, what the hell are you doing just lying there, when you should be making me dinner?"

Quistis was lying down on a large beach towel admiring the drifting clouds. She laid there reflecting on the sudden changes that had occurred in the last two weeks, for once in the past couple months she was alive again. She wasn't a wallflower waiting for its time to wither away into oblivion. She was part of something…someone, even if that someone was Seifer.

Seifer kneeled down on the beach towel and observed the blond woman looking at the sky.

"Did you hear what I just said Trepe?" He shifted his body into a more comfortable position.

"Hm? I thought I heard something, but I thought it was s dying walrus or something. Then again there aren't any walruses here."

"Haha, very funny," he said sardonically and gave her a playful nudge. "Well it's hot and this 'walrus' is going for a swim, and last one in the water is a rotten grat!" He immediately got up and started running towards the ocean.

"Damn! It's hard running on sand," he muttered to as he noticed Quistis catching up to him as they got closer to shore. Before she could pass him he grabbed her arm and swung her behind him, causing her to lose her balance and topple over.

"Damn you Seifer!" she cursed as she quickly got back on her feet and continued chasing him. "Damn, I wish I had my whip," she yelled to him.

Seifer charged into the rushing waves with his arms up in victory as Quistis reached the receding waves.

Suddenly she had difficultly breathing. As she gasped for air she started to cough violently. Her legs suddenly felt weak, and she fell on to her knees still coughing. Her head start to feel light, and her vision was starting to blur with dark spots. Quistis tried to fight the darkness surrounding her, but her coughing fit continued, and she started to feel her consciousness fading.

Seifer seeing Quistis fall onto her knees immediately ran out of the water towards her. Just as she lost her battle with the darkness, she fainted and fell into Seifer's arms.

"Trepe! Wake up! What's wrong?" Seifer called out to her has he lightly patted her pale cheeks. "Quistis, come on open your eyes." After trying to wake her a couple more times, he cursed and carried her back home.

He carefully placed her on the couch, and tried to wake her again. "Quistis? Can you hear me?" with no avail he placed a small bottle of smelling salt under her nose. She immediately responded and her eyes fluttered open.

"Seifer? Where am I?" she asked weakly.

"We're back at the cabin," he said calmly. "Quistis what's wrong? Are you all right?" Quistis took a deep breath and shook her head and turned her face away from his. "Tell me what's wrong?" He continued urging her. "Maybe I can help." She just remained silent and stared at the pattern on the material of the couch.

"Damn it Trepe, I know something is wrong." He was growing impatient. "You can't hide it forever." She still remained silent, but tears started to well up in her eyes. "Trepe?" Seifer's voice returned to worry.

She took another deep breath, "I'm dying." Her voice was shaky as she struggled to hold back her emotions.

"What?" Seifer responded with disbelief.

"I'm dying," she repeated a little more loudly.

"How? When?" Seifer mind reeled in confusion.

"A couple months back we were on a mission to search for something, and we came across the Soul Seeker plant."

"Soul Seeker?"

"Yes, Soul Seeker. It is a very rare plant and it releases a deadly virus-like poison when pricked by its thorns.

"A virus-like poison? I've never heard of that."

"Neither have I, until now. Apparently the poison enters the blood stream and stays dormant. Then after some time it would start spreading through the body. While the body tries to fight it, it stops and goes dormant again as if to hid, but then before the body can fully recover it spreads again and basically destroys the body. There are no physical signs or symptoms, and usually when you find out it's too late. From my research I found the victim usually lives about a year before the poison over takes the body and kills the victim.

"It was stupid really. I wasn't careful and scratched myself when a monster sprung a surprise attack on us. So after the mission we had our usual check up and my blood test came out positive that I was poisoned by the Soul Seeker." She finished and wiped the tears spilling from her eyes.

"So that's why you left SeeD? To seek your soul?"

"Maybe…I don't know."

"Did you find it?"

"Well…I found…you." She finally turned her head to face him again.

"Does anyone else know?"

She shook her head. "No, only you and Dr. Kadowaki are the only two people I've told."

"So you left SeeD, your home, your friends, your job, comfort…" His reminder of the past she left behind was causing tears to well up in her eyes again. "…to be alone? To suffer your fate alone?" She nodded. "Why would you do it? Why did you leave?"

"I don't know," she cried.

"I know," his response surprised Quistis. "I know, you didn't want to be alone, but you were afraid. You were afraid of how people would react. Afraid

they would pity you and…"

"No! No!" She covered her face with her hands. "Yes, I was afraid, but I didn't want to burden anyone. But now I don't want to be alone anymore, and I don't know who to go to." Seifer pulled her into his arms and tried to comfort her.

"You're not alone anymore. I'll take care of you." He whispered.

----------

"It's your turn." Seifer said tapping his fingers on the table impatiently.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"All right, Checkmate!" Quistis said with a grin as she moved her queen in front of Seifer's king.

"Shit!"

"I win again,"

"I want a rematch," he demanded.

"All right," Quistis agreed as the reset the board.

Lighting flashed through the window as heavy drops of rain hit the windows. "There's been a lot of rain this year," Quistis commented as they place the last few chess pieces in place.

"Well, it is winter already. In a month it will be Christmas," he pointed out.

"Wow the several months that I've been here have gone by so quickly, and the end of the year is already here. And you know what that means?" She gave him a sly look.

"What?" He asked as he made his first move.

"Your Birthday."

"Yeah what about it?" He obviously more focused on trying to win at their 4th game of chess.

"Don't you celebrate your day of birth?" she asked as she made her move.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Trepe, look at who you are talking to, Seifer Almasy, the sorceress' former knight does not dwell on trivial matters such has his day of birth." He said in a mock serious tone.

"Come on, it would be fun."

"What's the point? A birthday is basically just another day. There are people being born every single day. We might as well celebrate birthdays everyday."

"Well, it's a day for your loved ones and friends to celebrate you and being a part of their lives. I guess," she supplied as explanation.

"Loved ones and family? You know I have neither of those. Are you trying to rub it in that I'm a loner?"

"No, I didn't mean that," she sighed. "Forget it; I just wanted to do something special for you, since you've done so much for me. Well I respect your decision and I won't do anything for you on your birthday. I'll just find some other way to thank you." She said disappointingly. "Now it's your turn to move."

"How many times do I have to tell you that you don't need to thank me for anything." Seifer replied as he moved his knight across the board. "I'm actually letting you stay with me for selfish reasons."

"Selfish reasons?"

"Yes, I let you stay because you keep me company. Like right now, you are keeping me company by entertaining me with this chess match, where you consistently kick my ass at."

"Oh I see, so there is no reason for me to thank you at all since I'm her because of your selfishness. Well I guess for once your selfishness is ironically selfless." She said sarcastically.

"Yes," he nodded. "Now I'm feeling bored, these chess pieces seems to have a mind of their own and refuse to win whenever I play against you."

"So you forfeit?"

"Hell no, I'm just saying we should take a break and continue later. Now Trepe go and entertain me with something." After saying this he leaned back in his chair with his hand behind his head.

Quistis scoffed and walked into the room, and came back a few minute later with a pile of clothes some needles and thread.

"Are you going to teach me to sew?" Seifer asked in shock.

"Well you said you wanted to be entertained. I figured sewing. I can totally see you sewing. You know we could work on a quilt or put some new curtains up." She said with feigned excitement, but she broke out laughing at the horror written across Seifer's face and she finally broke. "Of course not, if I did you'd probably stab me repeatedly with a needle."

"Probably"

"Anyways I was just going to start mending some of your clothes since you obviously don't care enough to mend them yourself, and I have nothing better to do."

"Well I'm a busy man; I don't have time for trivial things like mending clothes. Besides that's women's work" Quistis rolled her eyes and focused her attention on threading the needle.

"That's also another thing I like about you Trepe."

"What?" She asked as she finally threaded the needle and picked up a blue shirt and started to mend the good size tear along the shoulder.

Seifer came and sat down beside Quistis on the sofa. "You don't turn all feminist on me, when I say stupid things like that."

Quistis stopped mid-sewing and looked up at him. "Why should I? I know that you know very well what women are capable of doing. You just say things like that so you can keep up your image of being a jerk, and you always say stupid things anyway."

"Are you implying that I'm a bully with a kind heart?"

"I'm not implying. I'm saying you are a bully with a kind heart. Not that you are a bully anymore. Now you're just a guy with a kind heart, who likes to say stupid things." She smiled and returned to sewing.

"What goes on in here stays in here," he said in his most serious voice, and he leaned back on to the couch and observed Quistis quietly sitting on the other end focusing her concentration on mending his clothes.

Seifer observed the woman sitting across from him. The woman across from him was not the instructor he knew, but the woman he had come to know within in the past months. He picked up a Weapons Monthly magazine that was lying on the end table next to him and flipped through the glossy pages. Seifer couldn't help but smile to himself. Here he was flipping through a magazine, while the only woman in his life was mending his clothes. It was like they were a married couple.

"Why are you smiling?" Quistis paused from her sewing and looked up to find him looking at her and smiling.

"Nothing, I was just thinking how we look like a married couple sitting like this…It's quite nice," he added.

"Really? Then why don't you find a nice girl and settle down with her? Then you could have this everyday." She suggested.

"What girl?"

"What about that Joyce girl from the school. She seems to be quite smitten by you that one time I encountered her." Quistis was trying very hard to suppress a giggle as she made the suggestion.

"Smitten is an understatement. Besides stalker isn't a quality I want in my woman."

"Oh? So what is your 'type'?"

He thought for a bit. "My type of woman would have to be able to put up with me," he smirked.

"Well that really limits your choices."

"She also needs to be able to cook, clean; you know the usual women work, like mending my clothes and stuff." He continued.

"Sounds like you want a maid instead."

He continued on rambling about his ideal woman, which quickly turned into a ludicrous topic, and he grinned as he notice his succession in annoying Quistis at his lack of seriousness of the topic. "And most importantly is I have to love her as much as she loves me," he finished proudly.

Quistis raised her eyebrows in question at his last comment, "so do you love someone right now?"

He looked straight into her eyes, "yes."

"Oh," this came out sounding slightly disappointed. "So who is it?"

"Me," he said with a smug smile.

"Seriously, who is it?"

"I don't want to say."

"Why not?" Quistis continued to pursue.

"Because I'm not sure if she feels the same way or not."

"Why don't you ask her then? I don't remember you ever being so shy before." She teased.

"All right, Do you love me Trepe?" he asked after taking her advice.

"What? You're kidding right?" Seifer remained silent. "You _have_ to be kidding. You can't love me."

"Why not?"

"Why not? You know why not!" She exclaimed. She tried to calm herself down and continued, "Seifer I know it's normal and part of life to want to start a family of your own with someone you have feelings for and are fond of, but don't choose me."

"Why? Don't you want a family of your own?"

"Of course I do, but I'm not fortunate enough to have one." She tried to reason with him.

"Yes you are!" He leaned over and grabbed her hands. "Yes you are," he repeated with frustration.

"No, I'm not," she said firmly. "How can I be fortunate enough to have a life when I'll be dead in less then a year?" She pulled her hands out of his grasp and stood up.

Seifer stood up as well. "Just because your life is cut short doesn't mean you stop living. You're acting like you're already dead!"

She laughed bitterly. "You're right. I died the day I heard about my sickness. I gave up living when I made the decision to leave Balamb Garden."

"I don't believe you. You want to live, but you just won't let yourself live. You were never a good liar. I don't care if you think you deserve life or not but I still love you," he declared.

"No you can't love me! No one can!" she cried and ran into the room and slammed the door shut. She leaned her back on the door. Hot tears were running down her cheeks as she slid her back down the door and kneeled onto the cold hardwood floors of the room.

"Quistis," Seifer yelled through the door. "Open the door." He pounded on the door pleading to her. "Trepe don't be stubborn," he continued speaking through door. "Trepe even if you don't want my love. You of all people deserve to be loved. Your whole life you've always been the responsible one. The grown-up, the instructor, the big sister, you're were always the one giving and guiding everyone, and yet you never asked for anything in return." He paused and listened through the door. The only response he heard was Quistis's quite sobbing. He continued, "I think I know why you left garden. You were so use to handling everything yourself. When this happened, there was no one there to guide you through this because you never let anyone come close to you. And you never let anyone close to you because every time you let someone in they always left and took a part of you with them. So you left hoping to find something, like your soul, but instead you ended up here with me. If you don't want my love I understand fully of your reasons for rejecting me. Just say the words and I will never bring it up again. I know how alone you have been these past years…so have I." He waited for a minute and pulled himself way from the door.

Quistis was sobbing quietly as she listened to Seifer speak. She slowly got up to her feet and when she reached the bed she let herself fall onto it and cried.

Moments later Seifer slowly opened the door and found Quistis on the bed still crying. He quietly crept into the room and sat down next to her. He lightly ran is fingers under her eyes to wipe away her tears.

"Trepe, I'm sorry."

"I know," she managed to choke out. "Seifer, can we continue with our lives as if today never happened? Please?" She pleaded.

Seifer nodded disappointingly. "I promise. Now get some rest I'll wake you when dinner is ready." He kissed her forehead and left her alone**.**

**A/N**: Wow. I'm so glad to see that there are people are are still following this fic! I just want to thank you guys for all the reviews. They are always appreciated, and I promise I will finish this fic just for those who have been following for so long. Thanks again!


	6. Chapter 6

**---Chapter 6--- **

Quistis looked at the clock and saw that minute hand was near the top and Seifer would be returning from work soon. She looked at the elegantly prepared dinner table. Everything was in place and prepared to perfection. In her hand was a long rectangular box wrapped in foil blue wrapping paper and a silver ribbon decorated the top of the box. She wanted this day to be perfect. She knew he specifically asked her not to do anything for his birthday, but she couldn't resist.

The sound of foot steps approaching the front door brought Quistis back from her thoughts. She stood in place and adjusted her dark navy blue dress and straightened her hair quickly before Seifer entered the room.

Seifer entered the room thinking this would be like any other day, but he was quite surprised to see Quistis all dressed up. Then again he knew she wouldn't be able to resist doing something for his birthday, but he didn't expect it to feel so romantic at the same time. Quistis had made the setting perfect for the surprise he had planned in mind for her.

"Welcome home," Quistis greeted him with a smile. "I know you specifically said we wouldn't celebrate your birthday. So just see this as any other day only that it seems slightly more nice then usual and it happens to be on the day of your birthday."

Seifer couldn't help but smile at her simple but some what logical reasoning. "I'm not angry," he reassured her. "It's just that the presentation is quite…not what I expected. Then again I didn't really know what to expect from you, since you're no Selphie Tilmitt."

"Well, it is still a bit early for dinner, so I thought...," she trailed off and handed him the elegantly wrapped box. "Happy Birthday," she wished him with a sweet smile.

"What's in the box," he asked while shaking the box like a child. "Aw, it's clothes," he said with a frown and pouted like a little boy. Quistis chuckled at his very un-Seifer-like expression. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"Well I did so you better like it," she teased.

He carefully removed the ribbon and pulled off the wrapping paper to open the box revealing grey material. "Grey my favorite color," he winked. Then he pulled the material out of the box to reveal that it was a trench coat that looked exactly like his trademark grey coat that he use to wear constantly years ago. Even the Hyperion Crosses were stitched on like the original.

Looking at the coat made Seifer's eyes water from the memories it brought back to him. The feeling of the new material in his hands brought back memories of when he first got this coat, before he went Balamb Garden. He remembered this coat was his best companion. It never judged and always stayed with him. The coat gave him an identity. After the war the identity he made for himself as the tough guy in the Garden's Disciplinary Committee shattered. He hid it in the back of his closet and left his past behind him, and it left him empty.

Now Quistis was here giving him a new coat to replace the emptiness left by the old one. Just like she came and filled the emptiness in his life. He was given another chance to make something of himself.

"Do you like it?" Quistis's voice interrupted his thoughts. "I didn't know how you would feel about it, but…I didn't mean to…" her rambling just trailed off.

"I love it, thank you," he said while pretending to clear his throat as he steadied his voice. "I don't know what to say. It just brings back memories."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Quistis dropped her head down slightly in disappointment.

"No, they are mostly good memories."

"Oh," she smiled in relief. "Why don't you try it on to see if it fits?"

He slipped into the coat and it fit perfectly. "Like a glove," he said.

Quistis's smile grew. This was a good start she thought to herself. This evening should definitely go well.

After dinner Seifer noticed it was a clear and relatively warm night for winter and suggested to go out a nice stroll under the moonlight.

"You know it has been a long time since the last time I've seen you wear that coat," Quistis noted as she dug her toe into the cool beach sand as they continued walking along the shore hand in hand.

Seifer looked down at the coat he was wearing, "Well it has been a long time for me too."

"I know this might sound stupid, but how come?"

He hesitated, "Some things in the past need to stay in the back of the closet, but some things from the past need to be brought out of the past to make a new future."

She gave him a puzzled look. "You're speaking in riddles. Did you drink too much wine?"

He stopped in his tracks and faced Quistis. "What I'm trying to say is that you are from my past, and you are the key to my future."

"What? That is nonsense. I don't know what you are talking about. Maybe _I've_ had too much wine." She rambled.

"Quistis, I've thought about this a lot, and you probably won't agree. Hell I _know _you won't agree. But…Will you marry me?"

Quistis pulled her hand away in shock. "What?! You know I can't marry anyone. I thought I asked you to not—"

"No," he interrupted her. "No, you can't marry anyone," he agreed. "But you can marry me. Please Quistis hear me out. I know the circumstances make it look like I'm doing this out of pity, but I think I love you. No, I _know _I love you."

"Think? You are _not_ thinking straight. By this time next year I _will _be six feet under!"

"But you're not six feet under now," he sighed. "If it's because you don't love me, I understand, but _let _me love and take care of you. You deserve that much at the least. I want to do it whole heartedly, and you know I'm not lying."

"I know you are not lying. I trust every word you say, and it's not because I don't love you. It's because I don't want to hurt you."

"Hurt me?" She nodded. "It's too late you've already hurt me. Every time I see you cry I hurt. Every time I see you in pain. I feel in pain as well, but what hurts the most is when you push me away. If you don't to hurt me, let me love you. Please." His hand came up to touch her face. Her eyes glistened with tears around the rims.

She was about to pull away again, but before she could he pulled her closer to him until their lips met and he kissed her. He waited for her to react and pull away, but none came. He ventured to kiss her again, and he realized she was kissing him back.

"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered. "And I _do_ love you."

"Then marry me." He kissed her again pulled a small velvet jewelry box from the coat pocket. He flipped open the box to reveal a simple engagement ring topped with a heart-shaped sapphire stone. "I was about to get you a diamond one, but when I saw the sapphire it made me think of your eyes, and how they sparkle like sapphires when you smile." He smiled and removed the ring from its box and slipped it onto her finger.

Now tears of joy filled her eyes as Seifer kissed her again and pulled her into his arms.

**A/N: **Sorry about the delay. Stupid classes required me to write two 10 page papers, but now that I'm done with school forever for reals this time I can focus on writing. Well my goal is to finish this fic before I go on vacation next month, so the last few chapters will be up soon. Promise.

Sorry about the short chapter. I'll get chapter 7 up ASAP to compensate for the shortness of the upcoming chapters. Thanks for those of you still sticking around! I love you guys!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Only three more chapters left! So sit tight. I'll post up the next one hopefully but this weekend. Again thanks for all the reviews, it is very much appreciated. ****

**---Chapter 7---**

The sun was setting on the horizon, radiating an orange hue onto the blue sky, Quistis and Seifer wearing their wedding garbs sat by the dock at Balamb. It was a quiet day at Balamb, as usual, and the couple was left alone to each other's company.

Quistis leaned her head onto Seifer's shoulder.

"Are you tired?" he asked as his arms wrapped around her waist.

"No," she shook her head. "The sun set is so beautiful. I wish this moment would last forever. Now I can see why you like fishing here."

"It doesn't matter where I fish, and the sun sets every where eventually. I thought Balamb would be the perfect place for us to get married since it was part of both our lives for a long time, and here no one cares what you are doing."

"They don't care, because they are afraid you'll beat the snot out of them if they piss you off."

He feigned hurt. "You make me sound like a total bully."

"Of course, you bullied me into marrying you" she teased.

"Really? I didn't know this was bullying you," he started to tickle her and then kiss her. "If this is bullying, I can't wait until we get back to the hotel.

"Well if that's bullying also, you better not be bullying anyone else. Because I'm a very jealous woman."

They sat together and admired the sun until it finally sank beneath the waves of the horizon, and the stars started to emerge from their blanket of daylight.

The couple rose up and playfully shoved each other as they headed towards their hotel room.

"You know you look beautiful in that dress." Quistis's dress was a very simple A-line spaghetti strap halter dress that reached the floor, and it had beautiful beads and pearls decorating along the top border of the bodice and along the waist of the bodice.

"Only in _this_ dress?"

"Yes, only in _that_ dress," he teased.

"You're only saying that because you picked it out."

"Well I can't have my bride wear some crappy dress now can I?"

"But if I wore an ugly dress would I still be beautiful?"

"Not as much as in _this_ dress, but yes," he said proudly.

"Okay you dug yourself out of that hole," and with an impish grin she continued. "And you're beautiful too honey."

"Very funny, don't quit your day job."

"What do you mean?" said innocently. Seifer only rolled his eyes and continued walking.

Quistis caught up to him and sneaked a kiss on his cheek as she entwined her arm around his arm and lean her head on his shoulder as the walked arm in arm.

---

The cool morning breeze brushed Quistis cheeks, causing her to pull her thin robe tighter around her body. The sky was clear save a few wisps of clouds lingering in the sky to greet the sun.

Another cool breezy came, and convinced the blond woman to leave the balcony and return to the warm hotel room. She stood next to the bed and watched the sleeping form of her husband. She laid back down on to the bed and placed her head upon his chest listening to the beating of his heart and his even breathing. She felt his arms wrap around her.

"You're up early," he said sleepily.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Why didn't you wake me?" He asked groggily.

"Well I thought you must be pretty tired from last night," she said with a devilish smile. "Besides I like to watch you sleep."

"Well I'm not tired anymore, and it is still early."

"So what do you have in mind?" She raised her head to face him.

"Do you even have to ask?" He returned her devilish smile with a quick move he rolled over and Quistis was under him. He moved a wisp of hair from her face as she giggled from their compromising position.

"Trepe, no giggling." He ordered. "If you don't stop, I'll have to kiss you." He took her continued giggling as an invitation for him and joined her lips to hers. His hands moved down the loose knot that held her rob together.

"You don't need this rob anymore," he whispered to her sending a delightful shiver down her spine. He proceeded to kiss her passionately as she wrapped her arms around him bringing him closer to her and let her fears and loneliness drown within their love and passion for each other.

---

Seifer woke up to emptiness beside him. He immediately got out of bed, and suddenly the aroma of breakfast drifted into the room from the kitchen. He tried to stretch the sleep from his body as he wandered into the kitchen to find this wife busily preparing their morning feast. Just as he stood back to observe her work on setting the table, her hand quickly came up to her mouth as she started having difficulty breathing and started to cough.

Seifer quickly arrived at Quistis's side as her coughing subsided. "Are you all right?" She only nodded as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple. "You should be resting and letting me do the work. Now why don't you sit down."

"I'm fine," she reassured him, "everything is done, now sit down eat or you are going to be late for work," she ordered.

"You sure you don't want me to stay home and take care of you?"

"No, I'm fine," she was getting a little irritated with his endearing concern for her. "I just look worst then I feel. Really." She gave him a smile. "You should go to work. I can still manage to be by myself for now. I promise I'll be right here when you get back."

He looked at her suspiciously, "All right," he conceded. Their conversation ended as Seifer quickly ate and returned to their bedroom to change for work. He returned a few moments later to the kitchen, dressed for work and carrying the Hyperion case in one hand and his gloves in another. He placed both items on the table as he stopped the help Quistis clear the table into the kitchen.

Just as he was stacking some of the plates together, Quistis stopped him. "Seifer," her tone had a hint of warning, "go to work, I'm fine really." He gave her a skeptical look. "Okay, I promise if I need anything. I'll call you."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He smiled at her promise and kissed her on the forehead and went to pick up Hyperion from the table and rushed out of the door hoping the hours would rush by and he could rush home to his wife.

After Quistis finished clearing and washing the dishes, she felt very tired and decided that a nap would do her good, but before she reached the couch she started have another small coughing fit. Light headed from the coughing she sat down at the dining table, and noticed Seifer had forgotten his gloves. She sat for a minute and made a decision to take the gloves to him, since he would need his gloves for his demonstrations with Hyperion for class she reasoned.

She quickly got dressed and went towards the school to deliver her husband's gloves. She knew he wouldn't approve of her going out when her body was getting weaker, but she felt that being near him made her feel infinitely better, besides some fresh air would do her good.

---

As she walked the halls of the school, she could hear sound trickling into the empty halls from the open doors of the class rooms. In the mists of the jumbled sounds, she could hear Seifer's commanding voice lecturing to his students. She arrived at the opened door of the class. She stood outside observing Seifer standing in front of his students demonstrating and showing off Hyperion. Seeing him standing there lecturing his students was a sight she never expected to ever see in her life. Smiling at the pleasant sight, she noticed the glint in Seifer's eyes when he held Hyperion. She recognized this glint in his eye since it was always present when he held Hyperion in his hands, it seemed to complete him.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there just watching her husband, but finally out of the corner of his eyes he noticed her standing just outside the door. He quickly asked the class to excuse him for a minute, and came walking towards her, and moved her pass the doorway just out of the sight of his students.

"Hi, what are you doing here? You should be at home resting."

"I rest too much, besides you forgot these," she pulled out his gloves neatly tucked in her purse and handed them to him.

He gave her a small kiss, "Thank you," he said with a smile forgetting for a moment where he was.

"You should get back to your class," she reminded as she noticed some of his braver students stretching their necks to spy on their instructor just outside the door.

"All right take care, if you need anything—."

"I know," she interrupted, "just call." He quickly kissed her again and went inside the class room and proceeded to continue class like nothing happened, while Quistis could hear some students near the door whispering and giggling.

Quistis stood outside watching him for a while longer. She could hear more giggles coming from the room as Seifer playfully reprimanding one of his students for giving the wrong response to an earlier question. She smiled to herself as she walked down the hallway again. She was lost in her thoughts, and did not even notice the woman that she walked past.

"Miss Trepe?" A brown haired woman asked.

"Joyce?" Quistis replied remembering the woman from their first encounter from a couple months before. "Hello."

"What are you doing here? Substituting again?" She asked mild disdain at their meeting again.

"I just came to drop of something my husband forgot this morning," Quistis returned matter-of-factly.

"Your husband?"

"Seifer Almasy."

"You two are married? I thought you both were just old friends?" She asked unable to hide her surprise.

"Well we are old friends, and we also happened to fall in love and get married," Quistis replied with grin.

Joyce seemed speechless. "Um, well congratulations. When did you two get married?" She asked with a forced smile.

"Almost two months already."

"I see."

Quistis could help but smile at the woman's defeat. "Well, it's nice meeting you again Joyce, good bye."

Quistis walked away from the woman with a smile on her face as she continued walking down the hall, thinking back to the days she use to walk through the large corridors of Balamb Garden.

**A/N:** Okay another chapter done! If you're curious on what kind of wedding dress I was trying to describe here is the link: _www .thebridalshop .com / mseA387 .htm_

**Note: T**o get the link to work just remove the respective spaces. The link should work


	8. Chapter 8

**---Chapter 8---**

Seifer heard a cough from their bedroom. Quistis must be up he thought to himself as he carried a tray with breakfast into their room.

"Good morning, how are you feeling?"

She looked at him with weak eyes and slowly propped herself up and leaned against the headboard of the bed.

"I feel…I don't know. What do I look like?" She brought her hand up, felt her own forehead, and brush aside her long blond hair.

"You look beautiful," Seifer answered with a grin.

She nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I look like crap."

"Okay you do," he agreed, "but I still love you."

"You don't regret marrying me?"

"Never," he smiled and placed the bed tray over her and gestured for her to eat.

"This is good," she commented between bites of syrup soaked pancakes. He smiled in reply and kissed her forehead. Then went over to the window and spread open the curtains letting light flood into the room, brightening Quistis's face.

"You know you look better today," he observed.

"What?" she asked took a drink of orange juice.

"You look better today," he repeated.

"Oh, well to be honest I _feel_ a bit stronger today. Maybe it is because the sun is out. The past couple days had been so dreary with the summer storms." She continued eating. "Let's go out for a walk," she suggested.

"Are you sure?" he asked unsurely.

"Yes, I want to go outside."

"All right, finish your breakfast, then we'll go, maybe we can make it a picnic." She smiled at his suggestion.

"Thanks sweetie." He cringed at her calling him "sweetie" and gave her a playful glare as he went to the kitchen to prepare for their afternoon outing.

The weather was a warm summer day with a warm breezy blowing through the moist air. Quistis loosely held Seifer's hand as they strolled along the beach walking further way from their little picnic spot they sat earlier for lunch. The sky was a clear blue without a single cloud in sight.

Quistis stopped walking to shake off the sand that accumulated in her sandals, but decided taking off her sandals would be better.

Seifer lost in his own thoughts did not realize that Quistis had stopped walking and walked ahead a couple steps, then stopped when he finally realized that his wife was missing from his side.

"Are you all right?" He walked back to her.

"I'm fine," she waved him away with one hand and the other hand had a finger hooked in the strap of her sandal's heel. "I'm just trying to pull off my shoes." Seifer came up to allow his wife to use her free hand to support herself as she gave the final tug on her shoe so it slipped off. "There," she let out a breath.

The sand was warm from basking in the sun all day as she put her feet down. She shook the remaining sand from her sandals and hooked her arm around her husband and smiled. "Okay, I'm ready."

They continued walking a bit more until Quistis turned her head and looked toward the horizon. They stood in a comfortable silence for a while and finally settled down onto the sand as the sky started turning a dusty rose color from the setting sun.

"It's a beautiful day today, don't you think?" Quistis commented. Her arms wrapped around her knees as a light breeze brisk by.

"Yup," Seifer agreed as he stretched his arms up and leaned back to lie on the warm sand. Quistis turned too look at him. His eyes were closed, as he took in the warm atmosphere. Quistis leaned back and rested her head on his chest. She laid there in silence listening to his heart beat, and she listened to his breathe with each rise and fall of his chest.

"Seifer," she finally said her head still resting on his chest. Seifer only made a sound to acknowledge he was listening.

"Seifer, I've been thinking, and I want you to promise me something," she continued.

"No," he said flatly and cut her off.

"What?" Surprised at his abrupt response she raised her head to look at him. She hadn't expected that answer from him.

"No, I don't want to make a promise to you. What ever it is it's probably going to be a silly request, like you want met to go on with my life and marry someone else or something that that extent right?" he said with his eyes still closed.

"Why not?"

"Because, I don't make promises. I do whatever I want. Because I'm Seifer Almasy."

Quistis couldn't help giggling at his juvenile response. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.

"Besides don't talk like you're dead already. I'd miss you too much," he continued and kissed the top of her head.

Off in the distance along the shore the couple could see two figures walking along. One of the figures was a small child running back and forth excitedly playing chase with the waves while the other figure a woman was holding a beach ball and watching the small child. The pair was walking towards Seifer and Quistis's direction.

"Look," Quistis pointed to the mother and child. "They look so happy. Makes me think of the days when we would play here when we were at the orphanage with Matron."

Suddenly a beach ball dropped beside them, they sat up and Seifer grabbed the air filled-sphere before it could roll away.

"Excuse me, Mister," came a small voice. It was the little girl they saw running along the shore a few minutes before. "Can I have my ball back please?"

"What's your name little girl?" Seifer asked. The little girl became shy and looked down as she started digging her toes into the sand.

"Mya," a woman's voice came, "Her name is Mya."

"Oh, what a lovely name!" Quistis exclaimed. "You have a beautiful daughter."

"Thank you. She is such a doll most of the time," the woman said with a smile. "Do you have any children of your own?" They both shook their heads. "You both seem to like children."

"Yes, we are both teachers," Seifer answered.

"Well, I _was_ a teacher," Quistis corrected.

"Oh how nice. Is that how you both met?"

"You can say that," Seifer smirked.

"I think you would make a nice mommy," chimed in Mya as she ran up to hold her mother's hand after she re-obtained beach ball which now cradled under her small arms.

"Why thank you Mya. You are such a good little girl."

Mya was getting restless again and started pulling her mother away to continue on their little excursion.

"Well I better get going. It was nice meeting the two of you," the woman said her farewell and chased after her child.

After the pair walked a considerable distance away, Seifer turned towards Quistis and saw her face looking pallid under the orange-red sky.

"Are you all right?" Quistis responded by shaking her head. "What's wrong?" Seifer asked again. She opened her mouth to speak, instead she responded with a violent coughing fit that made her out of breath.

Worriedly Seifer scooped the coughing woman in his arms and brought her home, laying her down on the bed. He settled down next to her on the bed and watched her fall into an uncomfortable sleep.

**A/N: **Sorry for another short chapter. I'll have last two chapters up next week promise. I know the last few chapters have been fluff or something like that…but fluff makes you feel all fuzzy and happy inside. =) Again thanks for all of those still following this fic! See ya all next time! ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**---Chapter 9--- **

Seifer woke up to Quistis shifting uncomfortably in her sleep. He noticed that tears were coming from her eyes and he decided to calmly wake her.

"Quistis wake up," he said with a soft voice. "It's okay it's only a dream. It's all right," he comforted her and lightly kissed her forehead. She finally opened her eyes, and within her eyes he could see the physical pain she had been hiding from him from the past month, but he only smiled to hide his own pain from her as well.

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay I guess," she tried to return his smile.

"Do you want something to eat? Drink?"

"Not really," she said remembering how much it hurt for her to simply swallow, or do anything for that matter. A month ago she could still eat and she still had strength to walk around. Now she was in pain and too weak to do anything.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not really…" Seifer looked at her. "Yes…," she admitted. "Everything hurts. Everything I do hurts, even thinking hurts."

"Even being with me?" Seifer asked trying to lighten up the mood.

She reached her hand out to touch his face and smiled.

"I take the smile means 'yes,'" he answered and leaned in and kissed her.

"Seifer you're the only pain I couldn't live with out," she managed to say.

Seifer patted her hand as he looked out the window and saw it was dark and the moon was out and climbing its way to the top of the vast sky.

"It's late, you must still be tired. I'll let you get some sleep again okay?" He crossed over her to turn off the lamp and laid back down next to her. He draped his arm over her waist holding her close to him as he whispered "I love you" before he fell asleep.

Quistis laid still in Seifer's arms as she listened to his slow even breaths. She knew they were both avoiding the truth with their sad smiles. Every time she saw Seifer's smile, her heart broke. She didn't know how much longer both of them could keep lying to themselves. Every minute she could feel herself growing weaker and weaker. She was even beginning to be afraid to go to sleep, afraid that she might not wake up again. She slowly turned her body around so she could face her husband. The moonlight fell upon him. She observed his serene and sad face. She looked at the tired lines on his face, and lightly glided her fingers over his cheek. Seifer moved slightly under her touch, but remained asleep. She did not remember how long she was awake watching Seifer sleep, but she eventually fell asleep in his arms feeling secure.

* * *

Seifer unfolded the handkerchief in his hand and noticed there was more blood this time. In the past couple weeks Quistis condition was deteriorating quicker then he expected, and he could do nothing but only watch as his wife fall apart before his eyes. He closed his eyes to try to prevent tears from coming up, but the tears just seeped from under his closed lids.

"Seifer…," he heard Quistis's shaky voice call out to him as another set of violent coughs seized her. He quickly folded the handkerchief in his hand and wiped the little bit of blood escaping from her lips.

As he tried to wipe her mouth, Quistis shook her head to keep him from tending her. "It's no use." She managed to say as she painfully tried to swallow back the coppery taste in her mouth. Seifer ignored her and continued caring for her.

Out of frustration to get his attention, she clapped her hand around his face and forced him to stop and look into her eyes. "Seifer stop, it's no use." Seifer's eyes darted back and froth in confusion, fear, and worry. "Please," she pleaded, "listen to me." She let go of Seifer's face and continued. "It's almost sunset please take me outside. I want to see the sun set into the horizon one last time, please." She pleaded again.

Without a word Seifer leaned in to kiss her and stood up. He easily carried her and took her out to the spot on the beach where they use to sit daily just months before to end their days together.

* * *

Seifer had thought or at least hoped that Quistis had fallen asleep in his arms as they sat in the sand, since she was so still and quiet. Instead he looked down to see tears coming from her closed eyes. Just as he was going to speak, Quistis opened her eyes.

"Everything hurts," she slowly managed to say as she turned her head to look at him. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry," he said to comfort her. She placed her fingers over his lips to keep him from speaking.

Still with struggle she continued, "Please…I need to say this now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I could not be a good wife to you. I'm sorry I could not be the mother of your children. I'm sorry that I let you love me. I'm sorry that I let myself love you so much, and I'm sorry I can't stay with you until we both turn old and grey. I'm sorry."

"Apology not accepted," Seifer responded abruptly. "I know what I got into and I accept it. So stop apologizing," he explained giving her a small smile.

Quistis returned his smile, and lifted her left hand to reveal her Save the Queen in her grasp. Seifer was surprised that he did notice it in her hand when he carried her out.

"What's this?" he as he took it from her hand.

"I want you to keep it…to remember me."

"I marry you, and all I get is an old whip?" He joked. "I don't need anything to help me remember you. I don't think I can even forget." His voice was starting to waiver and tears where gathering around his eyes. He blinked his eyes a few times to try o hold back his tears, but his eyes were already reddening from his sadness.

"Don't be too sad. Like they always say…I will always be with you."

"I know," Tears were slowly streaming down his cheeks.

"And I'm very tired…," her voice trailed off as she gasps a little for air.

"I know."

"…and I love you."

"I know." He placed his warm lips on to hers one last time and kissed her tear stained cheeks.

She started to cough again, and a small stream of blood seeped out from the corner of her lips. She weakly turned her body, so she could wrap her arms around him in an embrace.

"Seifer…hold me, I'm cold." She whispered to him. He wrapped his arm around her tighter and kissed her forehead. He held her like that for what seemed like an eternity and a second all at the same time. Finally he felt his wife's hand wrapped around him slowly drop away, as a breeze blew by as if to take her spirit away. He closed his eyes once again and let the tears come as he held his wife's lifeless body tighter to him and whispered, "Good bye."

**A/N: **Okay the inevitable finally happened. sobs I know a lot of you wanted her to live, but there are so many fics out there that have the miracle happy ending. I just wanted to write something that I guess is Hemingway-ish. I believe it was Hemingway who said that a love story doesn't end until someone dies, or I might have imagined it.

Anyways enough excuses from me, I've posted up chapter 10 at the same time as repentance for killing off Quistis in this chapter. I'll let you guys go finish the story now.


	10. Chapter 10

**---Chapter 10---**

Squall wandered through the old ruins of the orphanage like he did all those years ago when he first became a SeeD. He wondered why the orphanage had been left here to decay and erode and be forgotten with time. He shrugged the thought aside. It doesn't matter now. He was here on a long over due mission to find Quistis. It was a little over a year ago, that she just left a resignation on the Headmaster's desk and disappeared. He wanted to follow and find her then, as did the rest of the gang, Selphie, Irvine, Rinoa, and Zell. They spent two months looking for her and everywhere they went their search came up empty-handed. SeeD surely knew how to train their people well, especially when one did not want to be found. It was as though she disappeared. Before he could continue his search for her, he and everyone else was called away to a diplomatic mission in Esthar, which ended up being much too long. He couldn't even remember why they went there in the first place. Everything was quite peaceful already, but Laguna requested SeeD's presence. He was getting restless being stuck at Esthar for nearly six months and as soon as negotiations were reached, he came back requesting for a renewed search for Quistis. In his heart he knew something was wrong, and he was running out of time. He needed to find her soon. Several months had past, and Squall and his companions where becoming desperate, but he felt that he _needed_ to find her. This 'need' within him led him back to these ruin of the orphanage in Centra.

Squall looked up at the sky there was a thick layer of grey clouds looming over head, but he continued wandering around the premises and noticed something, a small cabin that obviously wasn't there the last time he was here seven years ago. As he walked in closer for observation, he noticed a blond man sitting solemnly on the porch, and the man's attention was focused on something hanging on his hand.

As he neared the man, he realized it was none other then the presumably dead Seifer Almasy, and in his hand was a whip, a whip that Squall recognized right off the bat belonging to Quistis. Squall moved closer, yet Seifer didn't seem to notice. He was entirely engrossed with holding and feeling the cool leather-like feeling of the whip warm within his grasp and cool again as he exposed it to the air again. In between his focusing on the whip, he would let out a silent sigh and close his eyes as if to retain a memory that was trying to escape through his eyes.

"Seifer." He could still hear her voice and see her sad smiles.

"Seifer!" This time he looked up and saw it was not Quistis's voice instead it belonged to a man, and it didn't belong to just any man, but from a man from his past, Squall Leonhart.

Seifer only looked up at him and said nothing. Squall was unsure of what to do. He wasn't sure if Seifer recognized him or even cared to talk to him. If it wasn't for the whip in Seifer's hand, he would have shrugged and walked off instead of having to deal with his former rival.

"Um...is Quistis here?"

Silence.

"That whip in your hand looks _exactly_ like Quistis's, so I was wondering if you've seen her. We've been looking for her."

Seifer finally looked up. "We?"

"Yeah, we," he repeated. "Me, Selphie, Zell, Irvine, Rinoa, you know we. So is she here?"

Seifer shook his head slowly, "Not anymore."

"What do you mean?" Squall was becoming impatient with Seifer.

Seifer was becoming irritated as well. "I mean she was here and now she's gone. What don't you understand? Leonhart?"

"Look I'm not here to pick a fight with you. I just want to know where she went."

Seifer looked down and let out a sad sigh. "She went somewhere I couldn't follow."

Now Squall was starting to get irritated, "Seifer cut the crap and just give me a straight answer for once."

"Follow me," Seifer got up and started walking a short distance to a small clearing behind the cabin. At the corner of the clearing, there was a fenced off garden, which Seifer walked towards. He opened the small gate and proceeded into the garden and knelt down in front of something.

Squall followed Seifer from a distance unsure of what to expect from Seifer even after all these years, but for some reason, Seifer's somber mood compelled him to follow. He approached the garden and noticed that Seifer's cheek were moist from tears.

Seeing his rival crying was disconcerting to Squall, but as he got closer, he felt tears of his own creep up as he read in bold letters engraved with golden letters on a flat marble headstone looking up at him.

IN MEMORY OF QUISTIS TREPE-ALMASY

A LOVING WIFE, FRIEND, INSTRUCTOR, AND WARRIOR.

"Trepe-Almasy," Squall whispered.

"Surprised?"

"Yes."

"Didn't think in your wildest dreams I'd marry Quistis did you?"

"No, I'm more surprise to find you alive and Quistis not..."

"She died in my arms and I still can't believe she's gone." Seifer leaned over to brush aside a dry left and glided his fingers over the letters of Quistis's name.

"When?"

"Two weeks ago," he replied his voice was starting to choke up at the memory.

"No, when did you get married?"

"About four months ago at Balamb."

"Balamb? I was there two weeks ago. Ma Dincht said she saw a newly wedded couple there that reminded her of you and Quistis about four months ago, but I didn't think much of it, since we thought you were dead. But something about that news told me to come here."

Seifer's thoughts drifted as Squall talked about his recent visit to Balamb. Seifer reminisced about the day they picked out Quistis's wedding dress. He remembered the fuss she made about not wanting him to see her in her wedding dress, when she was trying it on. He remembered the small ceremony they had. He remembered standing next to her watching her smile radiantly and looking beautiful. He didn't even hear the priest's words. He just remembered Quistis giving him a small nudge and a smile as he said "I do." He remembered their first kiss as husband and wife and...their last. Her lips were so cold by then. The once warm, radiant, and full of life woman that he knew and love was dying and near lifeless. The only sign of life he saw left was in her eyes, which were filled with tears as he held her tight whispering his love for her and comforting her. Now he was all alone with no one to comfort him. The tears returned to his eyes again.

"I loved her," Seifer finally said.

"We all did." Seifer looked up at Squall, who was still standing there. He noticed Squall's eyes were reddening with tears at the realization of the loss of his childhood friend.

As the two men watched each other droplets of rain started to fall around them.

"Could you tell me what happened... after she left Garden?"

Seifer slowly stood up. "Come on" was the only thing Seifer said as he wiped the tears from his eyes and pat Squall on the back to follow him back to the cabin before the rain started to pour.

**FINIS**

**A/N: **And here ends my Second Fic! Woo hoo! Well it only took me a year to finish this, and now the end has come! Thanks again for following this fic so faithfully. I promise in my next Seiftis it will be a happy ending. I'm working on it right now as a matter of fact. I may even revise my first fic _Hyperion Rose_, but that's a big maybe.

Anyways I hope I didn't torture you guys to death with angst and don't hate me for letting Quistis die. Again THANKS A MILLION!!


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